Means for making etched printing plates



April 10, 1928. 1,665,842

r v H. H. BRUNINGS MEANS FOR MAKING ETCHED PRINTING PLATES Filed Oct. 21, 1925 1773116712507; jfem y 71119710217195;

his Attornqy.

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. BRUNINGS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN LITHO- GRAPHIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 1., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR MAKING ETCHED PRINTING PLATES.

Application filed October 21, 1925.

This invention relates to means for making etched printing plates and has for its object to provide means, simple in character and accurate in result. Other obJeets will appear later herein.

lVhile my improvements are applicable to the production of printing plates of various characters, they are particularly useful in the production of intaglio plates, including cylinders, for gravure printing, and in the accompanying drawing is shown the preferred form of my improved apparatus.

Therein, Figure 1 represents a photographic print, preferably a positive print, on a transparent base. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a device for composing a plurality of prints, such as shown in Fig. 1, in predetermined relation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation corresponding with the showing of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a detail of what is shown in'Figs. 2 and From an original object, drawing or painting one or more photographic negat ves are made; one, if the object or drawing is to be printed in one color only, several if the printing is to be done in several photographically separated colors. Flrst, as to one color. From a. negative of known char acter. a positive print is made in the well known manner, by contact with a light sensitive film on celluloid. or preferably glass. This positive is developed and lixed and provided with the usual opposite pair of cross gage lines 2. 1. Then this film image of Fig. 1. with duplicates thereof, or others of its kind. such as 7. 8 and 9, Fig. 2. sutlicient to suitably till a desired area of plate. are arranged in approximate positions on a transparent base, such as a glass plate 1, which may be laid upon a cross ruled coin posing table, or preferably upon the cross ruled table 5 of the composing machine of Fig. 2. Then, one by one the film images are accurately located on plate at of table 5, preferably by means mounted on said table and which means will be described in detail later herein. As each film image or transparent positive is accurately located on said plate, it is fixed thereto by some convenient means. such as a transparent adhesive.

By means of the composing device of Fig. 2, a succession of plates, as 4, may have assembled thereon, respectively, a series of sets of transparent positives in exactly the same relative positions as in the first assem- Serial No. 64,045.

bled set. These sets may be duplicates of the first set if desired or,'if a series of color value positives are being prepared, the positives of the successive sets may represent successive color values. But in any case each set will register with all the other sets of the series.

Reverting now to the device of Figs. 2, 3 and 1-, for accurately composing the photographic prints, as 6, of Fig. 1, on base 4. Table 5 is provided with a suitable carriage guiding means, as rail 10, near one edge thereof, as 11, and thereon is mounted for traverse, carriage 12, having arm 13 extending across table 5 at right angles to rail 10.

Said arm may be provided with roll 36 pivoted at its outer end, for traverse on table 5, for supporting said arm. Carriage 12 is provided with foot 14; reaching downwardly to table 5 and having gage mark 15 thereon for accurate reading against scale 16 on said table, parallel with rail 10. Said table is also provided with a similar scale 17, at right angles to scale 16, across end 18 of table 5. The'graduations of said scales may be projected across the table in either direction to serve as approximate locating means for the prints which are being arranged. For fine adjustment of carriage 12 on rail 10, clamp block 19 straddles rail 10 and may be releasably secured thereto by clamp screw 20. Mounted for rotation in. ear 21. of block 19, but secured agaii'ist e11dwise movement therein. is screw 22 in threaded engagement with ear 23 of carriage 12.

iviounted for traverse at right angles to rail 10. on arm 13. is slide 24. Said slide is provided with means for fine adjustment similar to that just described in connection with carriage 12. as clamp block 25 and screw 26. Said slide has arm 27 extending therefrom transversely to arm 13, and mounted for vertical movement therein is plunger 28. Said plunger is preferably provided with hand actuated means for vertical movement, such as rack teeth 29 in engagement with gear 30 fixed to stem 31 pivotally mounted in arm 27. Said stem 31 may be rotated by thumb button 32 fixed thereto. Plunger 28 has foot 33 extending preferably to the left therefrom and the outer end of said foot has narrow cross slots 34;, 35 therein. through which the gage lines, as 2, 3 of print6, may be read. Said plunger is arbination a table having carriage guiding relation with said slide for minutely adjusting said slide.

4. A composing device including in combination a table having carriage guiding means near one edge thereof, a carriage mounted for traverse on said guiding means, means releasably fixed to said guiding means and in operative relation with said carriage for minutely adjusting the position of said carriage, there being a scale on said table parallel with said carriage guiding means, means on said carriage for reading against said scale, an arm fixed to said carriage and extending over said table at right angles to said guiding means, two slides mounted for traverse lengthwise said arm, said table being also provided with a transverse scale at right angles to said first mentioned scale, means on each of said slides for reading against said transverse scale, and two clamp blocks releasably fixed to said arm and in operative relation with said slides for minutely adjusting said slides, respectively.

5. A composing device including in commeans near one edge thereof, a carriage mounted for traverse on said guiding means, means releasably fixed to said guiding means and in operative relation with said carriage for minutely adjusting the position of said carriage, there being a scale on said table parallel with said carriage guiding means, means on said carriage for reading against said scale, an arm fixed to said carriage and extending over said table at right angles to said guiding means, two slides mounted for traverse lengthwise said arm, said table being also provided with a transverse scale at right angles to said first mentioned scale, means on each of said slides for reading against said transverse scale, said reading means comprising vertically adjustable plungers having feet with cross slots therein, respectively, and two clamp blocks releasably fixed to said arm and in operative relation with said slides for minutely adjusting said slides, respectively.

In witness whereof, I hereby a'lfix my sig nature this 19 day of October, 1925.

HENRY H. BRUNINGS. 

